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TASHA'S POV

The training grounds buzzed with activity—students running courses of rune-etched stones, practicing defensive stances under direct sunlight.

But I was in its midst, eyes closed, as a light breeze inscribed patterns around me.

It carried whispers of fate I could almost interpret, like a shadow of Frigg's final blessings.

I inhaled deeply, drawing the wind into my lungs.

Closing my eyes, I let it spin around my arms, launching me into the soft bend of a circular spell.

Whirlwinds of breeze currents picked up, scooping up scattered leaves in a tiny whirlwind.

The students behind me halted, watching as the leaves and dust swirled in my wake.

Impressive," Cass yelled from the sidelines. His piercing voice was filled with pride—but also something more subdued. He'd always been my anchor in these moments, reminding me I was more than brute strength—I was Luna.

I opened my eyes. "First time I got it to circle without toppling," I admitted, lowering my hands. Although it looked simple, mastering the control had taken a week of experimentation. Each gust of wind that made me stumble reminded me of how much more work I had to do.

"Better than toppling," Cass said dryly. "Let's build on that. I want you to weave light into the wind next time.".

The prospect made my pulse quicken. Light magic—something Frigg had whispered about in her journal—mingled with air to create luminous barriers and slicing currents. It was rare, dangerous, and precisely the kind of power we'd need.

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Later, at Dusk

Training had been completed, and we stood under the old oak by the lake.

Mina stood beside me on dew-cooled grass, her healing energy already calming Cass's minor abrasion from sparring.

The three of us formed an uneven triangle of light, air, and healing warmth—our little trinity against the darkness.

"Still hearing it?" Mina whispered, pushing wet strands of hair back behind her ear.

I nodded. "Every wind carries fragments of a voice I. I swear it's Frigg." I shoved my hand into my pocket, my fingers pressing against the coarse leather of the witch's journal. "When she disappeared, she left more than magic behind. I believe she burned something into me.".

Mina's violet eyes were soft with pity. "Her spirit is tied to the land—and to you as her ward. She once said to me that her last enchantment would awaken in the one who carried her bloodline." She glanced at Cass, who sat cross?legged with a furrowed brow. "What if that's what's happening?

Cass looked up, running his hand over the grass between us. "Then we have to learn it quickly. The more you can master your elemental powers, the safer we'll all be." He gave me a small, rune?carved crystal. "This will assist in focusing your light magic. Practice tonight."

I accepted it, feeling its soft hum in my palm. "Thanks."

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That Night—Tasha's Dream

Sleep was elusive. When I did sleep, I slept in a silver?lit forest, leaves shining like shards of moonlight. The trees leaned their branches toward me in quiet respect. In the distance, a clearing, and there, bathed in ghostly light, stood Frigg.

Her hair whipped in a wind that was both outside and inside my head. Her eyes, deep and sorrowful, met mine. "Tasha," she breathed, voice like a distant bell. "You carry my promise."

"Promise?" I replied, taking a step forward. The crystal Cass had left me pulsed softly against my waist, pulsing in time with my own heartbeat.

Frigg stretched out a hand, and the ground flowered with ghost-white flowers.

"This world teeters. Damon's shadow stirs, and the prophecy starts.

" She lay a finger upon one of the flowers, and it wilted in an instant.

"Your talent is more than wind or sun. You have the spark that will ignite hope—or call down desolation. "

I shivered. "Why me?"

"Because your heart is full of both compassion and defiance.

You are the pivot to creating true unity.

" She whirled about, gaze wandering up into the treetops.

"But beware: all gifts come with a price in sacrifice.

Learn to mix air and light, but retain your spirit.

The darkness within Damon craves your fire. "

And she vanished—leaving me alone, her words merging with the rustle of silver leaves.

I awoke struggling for breath, dawn's pale light filtering through the shutters. The crystal in my hand was warm, as if it had taken on some aspect of the dream. I stowed it safely away in my cloak, determined to unlock its secrets before sleep reclaimed me once more.

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STUDENT SPY POV

I've mastered the art of vanishing into corners people don't even bother looking—shadows are a spy's greatest ally. I sit and watch Cass and Tasha with ravenous silence. They're the bright stars of this facility, but every star has a shadow. And I've become that shadow.

It began as a whisper in my mind one night after the Binding Oath. Damon's voice—familiar and distorted—weaved through the darkness of my dorm:

"You are chosen. You are unseen. Use your ability to unlock the gates."

I woke up to find the twin-serpent sigil burned into my palm. The pain was gone, but the symbol remained—glowing softly in moonlight. No one looks. I'm like that: unseen.

My tasks were simple. I first sabotaged the runes Cass had installed on hydrant stands.

A slight wording change, sufficient that spells went wrong.

Hydra warded fountains failed, making water useless for cleansing magic.

Second, I infiltrated the library's restricted section, leaving hidden glimmerstones—tiny runic markers that would warn me if guards came near.

But my most important work was sowing doubt. I drift through classes, let remarks fall like poison:

"I heard Luna struggles with her magic... can she even protect us?"

"The wards might hold, but is leadership sure? What if we strike first?"

Seeds of fear grow fast when watered by shadows.

Tonight, I've been dispatched to the herb shop in the chapel. There, I'll exchange healing basil for nightshade extract—one leaf hidden among the others, ready to cloud focus during training.

In the quiet, Damon's voice comes back, soft and triumphant:

"Shortly, they will fall. And you will be by my side."

I close my eyes, the rush of betrayal coursing through me. This is power—quiet, insidious, unstoppable.

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CASS & BLACKWOOD STRATEGY COUNCIL

That day, Blackwood, Cass, Julia, and I congregated in the old council chamber.

Julia brought tidings from beyond the campus walls: renegade forces were congregating under a hooded commander—rumors spoke of outlawed sorcerers for illicit rituals, mercenaries sworn to Damon's name, and disenfranchised witches lured by offers of unbridled power.

"This is no minor skirmish," Julia warned, spreading a worn map on the table. "They plan to strike the northern border first—cut off our supply lines and sever any retreat to the pack lands."

Blackwood's fist clenched. "We cannot let them gain ground. We'll split our forces: half to fortify here, half to scout and secure the pass through the Grey Mountains."

Cass nodded. "I'll lead the scout party. Tasha, Mina—you two will be overseeing defenses. We'll have every ward up and every volunteer trained."

I continued, "We'll assign reliable students to the points of weakness. We'll vet backgrounds tonight on everybody."

Blackwood nodded in appreciation at me. "Good. Julia, order word sent out to our allies in the Eastern Woods. We need reinforcements.".

As the session came to an end, I felt the weight of each task pressing down on my shoulders. The storm was ready to break out. We were going to be ready.

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THE CLIMACTIC TRAINING SESSION

I joined Mina and Cass that evening for the final practice before dawn.

The sky was bruise purple, lanterns casting a ghostly light across the field, warding circles flashing occasionally.

Mina crouched beside a dummy injured body, her hands glowing as she ran rapid-fire healing—something we'd have to do in a hurry if we lost men in the initial wave.

Cass paced, offering quick corrections. "Breathe, Mina. Ground your magic in earth rune, then channel it through your palms."

Mina breathed deeply, eyes focused, hands steady as she closed the ghost wound.

I raised my arms, Frigg's dream crystal pulsating.

"Pay attention." I shaped air into light—first a soft burst of luminescent-hued air, then a dazzling, spinning whirl that blazed along the field.

The students gasped as the glowing blast doused a dark-smoke flare at the opposite end of the field without upsetting the wards.

"Good," Cass assented. "That barrier worked out great." He addressed the students. "Our Luna grows stronger. When you face darkness, remember this show."

There came a burst of cheers afterward, fleeting relief from the storm approaching.

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GROWING TENSION IN CAMP

But beneath the applause lay unease. Some of the students slipped away from the crowd, their faces troubled. I saw them vanish behind the oak tree into the tunnels, shadows blending into shadows. Uncertainty smoldered in their eyes—some of it fear, some... temptation.

Mina caught my glance. "They're not sure."

I shook my head. "Something's drawing them away.".

Behind us, Cass and Blackwood murmured in low tones. I heard Cass's gentle whisper: "I'll investigate those disappearances. Nobody else—just us."

Blackwood nodded. "Shh. We can't have panic."

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MINA'S POSSESSION & CLIFFHANGER

Suddenly, Mina shivered, healing staff slipping from her fingers with a soft clatter. Her eyes fluttered black, pupils expanding as the building magic within her convulsed. She stepped back, voice now hollow.

"Tasha. help me," she moaned—except that the voice was not hers, but Damon's: cold, triumphant. "The moon will bleed. The bond will break. And your Luna will fall."

The silence fell like a guillotine's edge. Lanterns wavered. Wards that surrounded us hummed like a warning sign.

Mina collapsed against me, as soft as a ragdoll. In the sky over her, far thunder boomed—an echo of the war's first rumble.

I encountered Blackwood's darkening eyes. "He's here," he whispered. "The storm has come."

And in that whisper, all changed.

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